New to MMORPGS?

Do you new players to the MMORPG genre still get an amazing feeling when you first start out?  I don’t know if any of you new players have read about that “amazing feeling” that is just indescribable..maybe the first sexual experience you have as a teen?…may be a good way to describe it, but do you feel it when you first logged into your newly found game?  You think about the game at work, you hurry up as fast as you can to get home and log on,  you procrastinate just so you can get another hour in the game?  Does anyone experience this anymore?  I know I was 13 when I started my MMORPG career, and I had these feelings all the time.  Just the love, want, and desire for the game.  It gave me shakes when something was new and difficult (PvP) and a sense of accomplishment when I achieved my first whatever.

Some would probably call this addiction.  I call it a love for the genre, the game, and the ideals of the genre.  Games were meant to be adored and loved, but no one does that anymore it seems.  They feel it’s a right they should have to be able to log on, get whatever they want, and log off.  It shouldn’t work like that in this genre.  I know it does, but it shouldn’t.  It’s a bastardization of everything that our MMORPG forefathers created.  The games were meant to be a difficult adventure…full of danger, enjoyment, adventure, and achievement.  Sure you failed/died A LOT, but that was part of the fun and the challenge to succeed and do better.  This was the game.  Not an instance at level 80 to be farmed, but a world to explore and never know the full extent of this world.  There was always something new to be challenged, or item to obtain, or skill to master.  You were one with your character and you treated him/her as you.  You wanted the best for yourself in game, and you worked at getting it.  It was never handed to you, or bought with a micro transaction.  You devoted your time to the game, and the game rewarded your hard work and effort.

These ideals are lost, and I do not think they will ever return to the market of MMORPG gaming.  I think WoW proved this to us, unless Blizzard has a change of heart and returns to its 2004 roots, or makes us a skill based sandbox.  Companies will continue to send out crap level based grinds because “Simpsons(Blizzard) did it” and greedy investors see this as a quick dime.  All of my old brothers and sisters, I think our time has faded, we are no longer a niche.  The old gaming Gods have been buried under time by hardcore carebear casuals, and their incessant whining for reward.

Raise your glass to the Gaming Gods of Old, for they slumber for near eternity.

$50, hopefully at least a month of play.

Fallen Earth Rundown, More to come later.

I’ve been playing it for 3 days. Been wanting to put a little more time in before I write anything fully detailed about it, but here is a little quick review for anyone interested.

The gameplay is actually quite enjoyable. It’s kind of like release SWG, mixed with Neocron 2. It’s actually pretty difficult at first. You’re basically dropped into a 100-150sq mile area around the grand canyon (I think it’s a 150 years later from now) where a deadly virus/nuclear war has wiped out civilization. You are dumped in the world with nothing and have to survive in the world. Lots of steampunk elements mixed with falloutesque gameplay. There are vehicles and horses. Pistols/Rifles/Melee weapons with bunches of each type. You have to cook your own food, create your own ammo, make all of your armor, make all of your clothes, you can dye it all.

The game has quests, which are actually really interesting. If you pay attention there’s a good story with each one. Has me very interested in the game. You have to scavenge/salvage/mine/harvest/skin and collect everything to craft. From salvaged wood, to scrap steel, to vegetables to cook etc etc. There are 6 or 7 factions that are all fighting to survive and succeed. Some towns are a little laggy due to the sheer amount of people. There’s a main city called Oilville that had so many people in it you could hardly move.

I haven’t experienced PVP yet but it looks pretty fun. It’s very neocronesque as far as “pvp zones” throughout the world.

The graphics are nice in game. Nothing amazing, but neither is darkfall. There aren’t very many tweaking options so i’ve been using the Nvidia application. Makes it look nice and run great (with a few stutters). The graphics have gotten a lot better over time, and release is tomorrow. I’m on “early access” for preordering it. Seen a few high level people and they look fucking awesome and all unique.

I’m really enjoying my time with the game, and it’s so nice to be in a steampunk world. I’m so sick of fantasy settings. I’ll probably play it for a bit.

Also it’s level based. You earn AP points from crafting/questing/killing mobs that you distribute between stats/skills.